Dear Benicia Residents, Please take a moment to view all the activities Benicia is offering this summer season. The availability of these programs is just one example of the many special qualities that make Benicia such a wonderful place. I am immensely proud of the City Council, City employees, volunteers and residents whose hard work and commitment to the community have helped to preserve Benicia’s small-town charm and quality of life. This has been particularly challenging over the last few years due to the Great Recession. However despite record economic hardship, Benicia has done an admirable job of weathering the storm. Our City continues to be one of the best places to live, work and raise a family. In 2013 Benicia boasted the lowest unemployment rate in Solano County at 4.4% and was named one of the safest cities in America.
Brad Kilger City Manager
The Great Recession has had profound impacts on the way we work and live. It has also fundamentally changed how cities fund and deliver services. Public services in Benicia, such as police, fire, recreation and park, and street maintenance, are primarily funded through a combination of property, sales and utility user taxes. These revenues significantly dropped during the economic downturn and it is anticipated that it may be several years before they return to pre-recession levels. The City has responded to this drop in funding through elimination of staff positions, restructuring of duties, employee compensation reductions and strategic reductions in non-critical services. While this has assisted the City in maintaining a balanced budget, it has reduced the level and quality of services the community has traditionally enjoyed. Therefore if we are to maintain Benicia’s quality of life it will require modifications in the services we offer and the manner in which they are funded and delivered. To this end the City Council has initiated the Sustainable Community Services Strategy. The purpose of this effort is to take a comprehensive look at the organization and identify the desired service levels and the financial commitment that will be needed to sustain these services. Of course in order to achieve an effective result, we need to engage the community. Over the next 18 months your participation and civic engagement will establish how we develop and implement modifications to our services. Your voice could significantly affect the direction of our City. While the choices and decisions we face in the coming months will be difficult, I am confident this community will do its part to ensure that Benicia retains its unique and outstanding quality of life. Respectfully,
Brad Kilger, City Manager
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Benicia Parks & Community Services Department • (707) 746-4285 • www.ci.benicia.ca.us